Sony a7 III Review

Despite its billing as a 'basic' model, the Sony a7 III is a supremely capable full frame camera. Though it doesn't have the most megapixels or shoot the fastest bursts, its well-judged mix of resolution, speed, features and price point make it an easy recommendation for all kinds of photographers and all kinds of photography.

Key Features:

Oversampled 4K/24p video taken from full width 6K (cropped-in 5K for 30p)

In-body image stabilization

10 fps continuous shooting

2.36M-dot OLED viewfinder, 0.78x magnification

AF joystick

Touchscreen

Larger, 'Z-type' battery (CIPA rated to 710 shots)

Dual SD memory card slots

USB 3.1 Type C

Compared to its predecessor, the Sony a7 III has been updated in almost every way; when compared to other similarly priced full frame options, the a7 III looks to be a cut above in many respects. For generalist photographers, wedding and event shooters and even sports specialists, the a7 III gets an awful lot of things just right. But as with previous Sony mirrorless full-frame cameras, there are some foibles that persist with this new model.

We've now spent dozens of hours shooting the a7 III in our studio and out in the real world - read on to see how it performs.

What's new and how it compares

Take a look at the key spec differences between the Sony a7 III and its predecessor and how it compares to existing models from other companies.

"In our controlled testing with both the Sony a7 III and a7R III, we found that there is no native Sony FE lens that focuses wide-open in AF-C."Argh! Just when I was beginning to consider this camera with a few f1.4 primes as a complement to my MFT kit for low-light event work, this issue calls the whole notion into question. The whole point would be for use in situations like a dimly-lit dance floor. Essentially, I'd have to shoot wide open all the time. Now, I probably would most of the time, but it looks like stopping down wouldn't be an option. And, the fact that S-AF is even slower removes that as plan B. Frustrating, because my Panasonics' low-light S-AF is lightning quick with a bright lens.Why, Sony? Why?

Why doesn't the A7 III doesn't feature Pixel Shift Mode, like the A7R III? Speaken technically, it should being possible by the IBIS system. I do think, perhaps the A7 Mark IV would feature this - and also a Top Monochrome LCD, like the Nikon Z-Series and EOS-R. ;)

Eg if the camera is set to AF-S of AF-C and you press the magnify button, an irritating message completely obscures the view, stating:

"This operation or setting not available as follows: Focus mode, Single shot AF"

It is not even allowed in "DMF" where the camera magnifies whenever you turn the focus ring...

It may seem like a trivial thing, but is so intensely stupid that I feel it is a dealbreaker for wether or not I´m gonna upgrade if the A7 iii is equally stupid. My OM-D´s and my X100 has always let me magnify in any focus mode, which makes perfect sense.

I know this reply is late, but this can be achieved using the Godox x1s transmitter. I use this in weddings and the grid pattern comes on with my a9. It will also work on the a7iii and I believe the a7riii. You just have to remember to turn on the af assist on the transmitter and set the camera af illuminator to auto. If you want the flash on camera, I imagine you can just mount one on the transmitter, but I personally like the super light weight and small size of being off camera.

@Djohnny -Thanks for the info. Do you have Godox flashes, and if so, do THEIR aid lights work with your A9? I had read that mirrorless cameras' AF systems weren't sensitive to near-infrared, and this was why the in-body aid lights were white or amber and why flashes' red lights were disabled on mirrorless. I have X1 transmitters for my Panasonic bodies but never thought to investigate the presence or usability of aid lights on them. Haven't really paid attention to whether my Godox flashes provide AF assistance either, as I assumed they didn't. I'll have to dig out some of this gear and check it out...

I do have the speed lights and for those the light pattern does NOT come on. It is a firmware thing for sure. The x1 transmitter got a firmware update that allowed you to set the AF assist to on for 3rd gen Sony (maybe even a7ii and a7rii)? Also, the x1 assist does not work with the a7s (or any of the gen1 bodies).

I've had the camera for a month. Took it to California, Atlanta, and have done senior photos, landscape, unit stills for a web show and more. I use it every single day.

I came from a Canon 6D.

I don't regret selling the 6D and buying the A7III. However, my photography has taken a step or two backward. Why?

The camera thinks differently than my 6D did, and that's okay, but I haven't gotten used to it yet. I can't rely on the auto ISO like I did with the Canon. The Sony seems to go higher than necessary, so I don't use auto ISO anymore. I stay totally manual.

I don't find the menus complicated like others have said. They seem just fine and well-organized.

I'll eventually catch up and pull ahead of where I was skill wise, but it's taking some time.

Regardless, I love the features. They are incredible, and the silent shutter feature is perfection. 100% silent.

The one thing I like better about Canon is the bokeh. It seemed more natural to me.

The Fuji cameras do this too including the new xt3. The ISO limiter just sents the lowest and highest values. I believe what’s be referred to here is when cameras select an iso double that which is needed for a scene. For example iso 800 for a shutter of 1/500 instead of a lower iso of 200 at 1/125

I hate how no reviews mention the atrocious dust problem this camera has. I have taken thousands of shots in the past few months, every single one has dust spots on it. Changing lenses? Guaranteed dust on the sensor. Cleaning the sensor? Dust will find it's way back on the sensor in the second it takes to put the lens back on. I have never had a single dust spot on a picture from a Canon camera. I love my a7iii, I just wish they did a better job designing ANY sort of dust control into it.

Good to know. FWIW, I had LOTS of dust in my 1Ds2, 1D2, 1Ds3 and 1D3. Had to clean them regularly. In five years of shooting with Panasonic, not one dust spot. And, I've traveled in some pretty dusty places.

Your comment worries me as I’m just set to buy the A7 iii. Dust spotswere a continual problem on my NEX7. Now some can’t be shifted and I’ve tried everything! How are things in this respect on your A7 now?

My understanding is that it is available...as "an app" for the camera to run and I think you have to pay extra for that "app." I won't buy a camera that has "apps" and shovels basic functionality into them as post-purchase purchases.

Looks like I have to buy one of these. From my previous encounter with the Sony brand, I have the Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 that I have not wanted to sell at the prices offered. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of optical perfection I have ever handled. There must be some Minolta genes there...Currently I shoot Canon. I tried the A6000 and it let me down in more ways than one.It was faulty. The zoom lens was faulty. The adapter did not adapt, either. As I love the EF 50mm f/1.2, I loved the 55mm f/1.8 Zeiss. The latter offering a better overall picture quality but lacking the Fairy Dust of the Canon opened up all the way.I'll probably –against all my vows and sermons to the opposite– still get another Sony product, this version III. At 2000 euros...doable.

I was never one of those "it's the person, not the camera" type. My photography friends wouldn't be shooting Snow Leopards at 1/2 mile with a cell phone or point and shoot. The camera helps the photographer be what he wants to be. My Nikon D3300 now sits in a box. The D7200 is a far more advanced camera than the 3300. And I feel the A7iii will help me in my further adventures in photography when I make the switch.

You are implying you need this camera to take good pictures? No other camera will do? What exactly are you trying to say? I bet I could find someone who can take a nice picture with a pin hole camera.

You are also bashing anyone who believes in the photographer and not the camera by going to their pictures and judging them?

Lastly, who is fighting the camera? The camera is a tool, read the manual and learn about how it functions. If it works for that person then that is all that matters. It is 100% the photographer and not the camera.

Or are you referring to dumb photographers that do not know about exposure so they NEED fancy gear? Is this the kind of photographer you are?

And for the other poster below you, if you are going to go shoot snow leopards, which implies you would have spent thousands of dollars on a fancy trip, you would be a complete moron to show up with a cell phone to take pictures. But the cheapest DSLR with the cheapest telephoto lens would do it, $300 done!

@GeyzerI'd prefer photography to be about creative vision, composition, posing, not about trying to get focus, focus and then recompose, wasting time (and missing moments) moving the focus point, bracketing multiple exposures ;)

Listen man I know what you are trying to say. Just remember that people have been shooting with lesser technology for over a 100 years and have got good pictures.

You just came of as claiming that the camera is what matters in taking a good picture. It is the other way around. You claim that photography is about creativity proves that point.

I am all for the fancy gear if you have the money for it, need it, want it or whatever. I am certain the image quality is better when pixel peeped. I know all this, just don't claim you can't take a good picture unless you have it.

Of course, it is the photographer. Only recently upgraded to 5D4 not expecting much in the ways of picture quality.I was positively surprised. From a 5D4 RAW it is so much easier to make a beautiful picture with the tools I have than from the equivalent 5D3 shot.More shadow detail, less grain, overall 'agreeability' of the image.A better camera allows for better pictures.A bad photographer cannot be helped.

Most cameras produce after 2012 can produce fine pictures in decent lighting, in rich light condition, you hardly able to distinguish between a cell phone and an APS-C camera's picture.

I totally agree with @GrapeJam, technology advancement does let us focus more on the creative part as opposed to making sure the image is as clean as possible.

I own Sony A57 which only able to produce an acceptable image up to ISO 800. Shadow area in portrait tend to frustrate me. After upgrade this camera, it can easily handle 6400 ISO image without any problem.

The auto min shutter speed feature combine with auto ISO take away the need for me to manually configure them in Aperture mode. Let be honest, there is a FIXED algorithm to do that. We keep repeating that since eon ago, now we are bless with technology, we can focus more on the artistic part of photography.

Why only 24MP? Why no 60fps 4K? The poor man pays twice again? There is no need to do so when there are so many A7r II on the market secondhand, because I, for one, would not pay out good money for a 24MP Full-frame machine, that still has a low pass filter- they are obsolete sensors now, that nobody should still be ALLOWED to make, so I would not even review it.....

I live in a caribbean coastal city (Barranquilla) with humidity and apron 30-35ºC all year. For video, I need to do interviews on the outside in the sun, maybe shade, still very hot. Ive read a lot that Sony's Alpha 7 line are poorly weather sealed and water and corrosion is usual. My Canon 7D take time to overheats but still happened, but buying a new camera is to overcome this. I wanted to upgrade to the A7III, but there are mixed reviews, some saying it won't stand more than 8 mins 4k video in sun 32º aprox and that corrosion is very common. Is this camera good for outside video with tough conditions?

Well I don't know that "corrosion is common". The new a7 bodies are only about a year old. There are plenty of conversations on here about how the sealing is better than previous generations but still not perfect. If you are using your camera in more than light moisture I wouldn't consider the a7xx for now.You would have to rent to evaluate overheating. It has been 4k that has been the issue with some previous bodies. Doing 1080 shouldn't be an issue. If leaving it in the sun for long periods .......combined with video. I dunno. Users of the a9, a7riii, and a7iii have had a hard time even getting it to overheat on these bodies. Good luck

Also FWIW the summer climate where I live is similar to yours. Except no wind. I have got my a7iii noticeably warm twice. Both times was from leaving it in a bag or automobile in a way it couldn't go into standby. Neither time was it warm enough for a warning. Although most of my videos are only a few minutes and sporadic. Sometimes I do extended time on a tripod in full sunlight(bracketed shots) without issue. Best I got

Olympus e-m1 series are really good in all climates. Wont get you FF, but a very reliable camera with some nice dimensions. Mine fell 10 feet into hard rock...and survived just fine with a few scratches. I'm sorry Sony. I don't think your a7 series would stand that test.

Out of curiosity since this device can charge with USB C, does it have quick charging like some of the better cell phones have.... My LG charges to almost 100% in 20 minutes, and to a very usable level in 10 minutes...

It's very likely the opposite Sirandar. There are several quick charge technologies included in SoC smartphones, for example your LG is likely using Quick Charge 2 or 3 by Qualcomm. Sony camera usb charging is likely 1.5amp and slow. Better to charge batteries in an external charger.

Yes and no...... The Panasonic gh5s (I own it) is worse for low light, has far worse dynamic range, worse shadow detail, worse highlight retention, but has less rolling shutter and slightly better 10 bit color (only in the mid tones because the Panasonic has such poor dynamic range).

@Thematic LOL, the GH5S is worse in low light than Sony's cameras? You could be a comedian with that kind of statement. Practically everything you said is unsupported by reality. Let me know when you find a Sony that doesn't have nasty highlight roll-off, then we'll talk.

I ordered mine yesterday. Adorama seems to have a supply that either trickles in each day or they only release for short amounts of time each day. I tried to order it two days ago but it was out of stock. The day after that it was in stock for a couple hours and then out of stock. Finally, yesterday, I was able to lock it in and pay for it.

I've been using Canon for ten years now, including dozens of professional jobs.

I'm nervous about switching to Sony, but the A73 has features that just don't exist on Canons right now. Maybe Canon will catch up someday with their mirrorless technology, but it doesn't seem they will anytime soon, and I need the Sony features right away (full frame that shoots silently, has 4K, has touch screen, and more).

I just delivered to a guy last week who sold all his Nikon gear, D800, D810 and all Nikon glass and accessories and moved to all Sony. He's eyeing the A7iii, but has a A7Rii, A6300, etc. And he doesn't regret his move to Sony one bit. So you should be just fine!

I think it means how long the camera takes to read the sensor when you are in electronic shutter mode. So even if you shoot a portrait at a fast speed, the processor needs 1/18 or a second to gather all that info from the sensor. For a portrait it might not make a difference, but if there is movement in that short amount of time, it's possible to get distortion. They call that rolling shutter.

This is what I understand. I might not be close to what you have in mind, however.

Good camera from Sony putting competition on Canon and Nikon to up their games, my gripes is again small body and the overload balance especially hiking a mid to heavy lens on to it, small battery and compartment and why didn't Sony use XQD card slot in it ? - especially for 4k, 10 fps, etc.

Right now I'm shooting a Nikon D7200. I have 3 lenses for my landscape needs. Tokina 11-20 f2.8, Sigma 17-50 f2.8 (my walk around lens) and a Sigma 24-105 f4. Living in AZ I need the wide of the Tokina in a couple of places like Horseshoe Bend and Meteor Crater. The 24-105 I use in Sedona and the Grand Canyon. When I sell it and get the Sony A7iii with the Sony 24-105 f4, I will lighten my load by over 3 lbs. I'll still have a decent wide lens at 24mm and decent reach at 105. Then there's that Tamron 100-400!!! Not worried about a small body. It's doable from what I'm seeing and reading on the net. I do NOT shoot video!!

XQD at this price point? Still has a buffer that makes Canon and Nikon peers look pretty lame. Small battery? Same life as Canikon competitors. Small body? Add a battery grip with 2x battery capacity. Let's move on...

Not worried about how many fps the A7iii does. But it's there when I will need it. Barely use the 6fps on my for now D7200. I've read where a few are getting upwards of 2,000 shots on a battery. Would love to know what settings they are using to achieve that number. If true, that's impressive. Size is why I'd be switching. There are options for those with bigger hands. Pinky grips, battery grips etc.

@AZheavenif you are shooting a lot without turning on, off, review etc you get many more shots than what a camera is rated for, because it does not reflect the standard used. I can get more than 6,000 shots on a battery if I am simply shooting, i.e. sports with my A9. The A7 is supposed to be even better.

@AZheavenof course one of the advantages of the EVF is that you can see your exposure real time, so you can see the histogram real time, you can also engage (I do all the time) zebra for the overexposed areas real time, so no need of chimping...

I see it still has that nasty shelf-like Sony highlight rolloff. I do wonder if they'll ever fix that. Every single on of their cameras seems to suffer from it. As far as I am concerned that's a deal-breaker for high-contrast and night photography.

spending $2000 you do expect an external battery charger - also with plugging in and out of Usb puts a strain on the sockets. Sony should have offered this and my only other gripe with this excellent camera why not use 1 high speed XQD slot ?

People should not be ordering this camera for the next month. My camera store says there are so many of you that demand for the 24-105 has gone through the roof. I am recommending a waiting period on this camera til I get my copy of the lens.

I really want to order this camera. Amazon says 2-5 weeks. That's a heck of a range. Does anyone know what's a realistic delivery time? I have a project this summer and I don't want my funds tied up on an order that might not make it on time.

For english readers (and others), you can also check my own amateur review through the link above as there is a translate button and I try my best to have the cleanest writing for best auto-translation and I think it's quite OK (for english at least). My test focus deeply on the handling, reactvity and personnalization of the camera and provide a direct comparison with the A7R II. ;)

At the same price point as the OMD EM1 MK2, I'll have to take a good, long look at this when it comes time to replace my OMD EM1 - excepting for having to buy a new and expensive set of lenses.It will be interesting to see what Sony does in terms of firmware upgrades. Olympus is still the leader/trendsetter in this area. I'd like to see Sony add (I don't think this camera has any of these)

When I was checking out the Sony A7Riii in the "local" camera store a couple of weeks ago, I saw a OMD MK2 and was shocked at the size! Outdoor Photography really pushes Olympus imho. As for Canon and Nikon, I, for the life of me cannot figure out how they will release a full frame mirrorless camera for the same price (and specs) as the A7iii. They might prove me wrong though. I always thought Nikon was over priced.

Who says a Canon will be the same price. The $2K price point for the A7iii gives far more value than Canon's current offerings. Of course if Canon included an EF adapter for their mirrorless that would help defray the $400 EF to E-mount adapter cost for Canon glass owners when they buy Sony

@wcan...NEVER said that. What I said and have been saying is, "if Nikon and Canon don't come out with a mirrorless full frame camera equal to or exceeding that of the A7iii they will be in trouble". And that comment also stands for price. The A7iii had to throw both Canon and Nikon for a loop in every respect.

I have a question regarding this camera, perhaps someone can help me out. When I want to select the "Record Settings" for movies, it seems that I do not have all options I expect. For example, when I set the File Format to "XAVC S 4K", I only have two options: "25p 100M" and "25p 60M". But shouldn't there also be "30p"-option? If I look in the manual, and also reviews in the web, it tells me that. It's not here in my menu. :-) Similarly, when "XAVC S HD" is selected, I only have 25p, 50p, and 100p (with different bitrates each). Here I miss the "120p"-option.

One idea I had regarding this is that perhaps my SD-card is not compatible (fast enough)? I couldn't find in the manual anything about such a requirement. The card is a "SanDisk Extreme PRO 256 GB SDXC 95 MB/Sec, Class 10, U3, V30". Not the fastest card possible. I use it in slot 1.

Possibly, those are settings for PAL countries (EU and others). Maybe there is a way to use NTSC settings in the configuration screens. Check the maximum clip recording time too, as it might be unlimited on some models and limited to 29m59s on PAL models.

I figured this out and can confirm that it is the PAL/NTSC setting which was to blame for the missing modes. Depending on which mode you are on, you are offered different framerates.

It has *nothing* to do with the memory card used. I checked different cards and it made no difference. As soon as the right video-mode is selected, it works - also with slow cards. The "likes" above are misleading.

I appreciate the new format of your reviews, with staff comments at the end, and combined with the excellent review video segment. Just like the Sony a7iii set a new standard for others to shoot for, so did you.

Thank you for the feedback. It's going to continue to be a work in progress over the next several months (in particular with upcoming lens reviews), so if you have any specific points of praise or any grumbles about the format, please feel free to send me a PM with details.

Question regarding mirrorless cameras. I have read on a couple of Nikon websites of people constantly having to Fine Tune their lenses to get sharpness exact or as near as possible to being sharp. Is this an issue with Sony or any other mirrorless camera/lenses??

Not sure if it is possible to fix a poorly assembled lens via "fine-tuning". And if you are talking about the AF accuracy, then mirrorless cameras have much less problems with it, just like DSLRs in LiveView mode.

It's not so much lens design or build, but AF accuracy like you said @ecka84. Tamron and Sigma have lens docks to fine tune their lenses. I just read about it on other forums. And Live View? On Nikon cameras? OMG does it suck!!!! Nap time while it takes the picture!!

No fine tune necessary! The biggest reason I switched to mirrorless. Couldn't stand the continuing AF accuracy issues with my D7000, D7100 and D750, but there was no mirrorless alternative to match my needs until the A6300 came about. Smooth sailing after, even with adapted DSLR lenses!

@ecka84

Well yeah, any camera can focus on things that don't move. You need very advanced CDAF (Panasonic) or decent OSPDAF (everyone else) to focus on something moving.

Well, first, not any camera/lens combo can focus accurately and consistently on things that do not move, specially far away or up-close. Which is why I use LiveView. Second, I really don't need a mirrorless camera for moving subjects. DSLRs can still handle it rather well (perhaps even better than most mirrorless), at least after you solve all the PDAF problems. But the new OSPD AFs are definitely easier to work with, despite that they are less responsive and consume batteries like there's no tomorrow. I like both, but for different reasons.

Lens experience and suggestions: The A7III and the A7r series are capable of incredibly great detail, if you use good enough lenses. I am using most, the F4 Sony Zeiss 24-70. My copy was poor, but I sent it back to Sony (free) and they made it excellent. I have the Sony F2.8 24-70 gm, but it's so much bigger I mostly use the F4. I also have the F4 70-200. Stellar. Smaller than the F2.8 but equally as sharp. Next, must have at least one lens you can use in low light. Best deal is the 28mm F2, which is extremely sharp and at f2, under $500, is nearly two stops faster than the zooms. Very small. I use it for indoor at night casual shooting. These three lenses give you a full range very high quality kit, for not too much money. The 90 mm F2.8 is incredibly sharp, less than $1000 and serves both as a general lens and as a close up macro lens. I also love the F1.8 55 mm Sony/Zeiss which is also one of the sharpest lenses on the planet.

It’s the variation issues that concern me. The stories I hear of people returning their lenses multiple times to get a good copy is worrying. Sony easily make the best features bodies now and when the lenses are good, they’re really good. I just wish the QC was higher.

I had both F/4 zooms and returned them. The 70-200mm was pretty bad at 200mm. Maybe I should have kept trying until I got "good copies", but I didn't want to waste all the time and effort for something that may never happen. I am very happy for anyone who does get a good copy, but at the same time I am skeptical from my experience.I have an old Canon 70-200/4 and it is superb. Some day I may get a metabones adapter for it.

The Photo store where I do business has reported to me that in their experience, the problem of uneven copies of lenses was much greater a couple of years ago, and has in their experience been remedied. My way of thinking is that the possibility of a poor copy is always there, no matter whose lenses. It's a real, if annoying, part of getting your kit to be as you want it to be. But if you don't stick with it til you get it right, unfortunately, it is you who are the loser.

Sony says they are aware of this issue:"I understand that you're having issues with the Eye AF function of your ILCE7M3 camera. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you. We want you to know that we appreciate you bringing this to our attention. Please be advised that Sony is aware of this issue, and this has been forwarded to our engineering team in Japan already."

Anyone who calls osv a troll is obviously a troll, but you put a cherry on the top by posting links and writing this: "If all the bad copies of lenses were not enough, now there are bad copies of the A7iii." Obvious troll is obvious.

'EDIT: Geez! I just got a PM saying "RubberDials is another OSV puppet ID".'

No you didn't, unless you sent it to yourself from one of your other accounts.

I've reported your post. I doubt it will do any good - I mean - the mastering light account is still active. I've been a member of this site for more than a decade and have posted literally hundreds of thousands of words. Good luck trying to smear me with your crap.

I hit a nerve. Google busted you. Google is great for digging up the truth and a quick search showed you and OSV are either same or work together. There are dozens and dozens of posts where you respond for each other, and also where both of you pounce on the same person or make the same argument. No denying that. Google is your friend, and Google reveals the truth.With those Google search results, it as fair and accurate to say one of you is the other's "puppet" or at least you work in tandem.

If you want sharp- add in the Voigtlander 65mm f2. It's evil sharp. I'd add the loxia 21 and 85 to that list as well. I had to keep putting band aids on my fingers when I first shot with the 65mm it was so sharp. Now I just wear gloves.

Many of his so called flaws are rubbish. The menu system is a bit complicated but has so many features packed in its heavily customisable. In two days time I am very comfortable using and finding what I need without problems. The function buttons are very useful and he actually tries to make it a flaw. I used a couple of playmemories apps and some were very useful and lots of my friends used them.

Expecting an unbiased article from such a person is like Hillary Clinton writing an unbiased critique of trumps presidency. Maybe you are naive in thinking the article is fair but to those of us who actually use the cameras most of his points are bs and its a poor attempt at taking a pot shot at a company that cost him money. The only thing I really agree with are the sub par service of Sony which I agree with and the sub par weather sealing. The rest are non issues for most people who use the camera.

It might be relative but you need to keep your comparisons within a product. Sure there are specialized sensors with more dynamic range but why should we care if they aren't available in an ILC? I'll wager there are some satellite sensors that are even better. Should we compare the latest ILCs to them?

The question should be how does this sensor compare to others currently available.

Edit:. @pentaust. I see you removed your comments about the sensor. Now you left my post hanging 😀

It's like everything else, it's not absolute. The interface is usable but not as good as with some other cameras. If you have spent your savings into this camera, it's doesn't sound nice for you if we tell you that some aspects of the camera are not as good as others. All customers are like you, after they are invested into something, they can't stand to acknowledge. A lot of people are exactly like you, that's normal.

When a Sony A7 series camera is set up properly, you hardly have to visit the menues again. Real world use is a breeze, no matter hot summer days or freezing cold winter days or nights, when wearing gloves. No matter small or large lenses.

"Problems", like "the interface is useable but not as good as with some other cameras" are silly constructions, only of importance for those sitting in an armchair, figuring out what could be a problem with cameras that they don't own or use themselves. Such nay-sayers claim to be the best photographers around, but they will never show you anything from their work.

@pentaust Please show me a post I made where I haven't acknowledged short comings. Do I have implicit bias like every other human? Certainly, but I try to remain objective and rational. I'm certainly no apologist for Sony or any other brand. For example I prefer an EVF to and OVF but I don't think those who disagree with me are necessarily wrong. Each person has important and less important features that they want.

Regarding the menus I can't say that comparatively Sony's are any better or worse than any other ILCs because I don't have intimate experience with other ILC cameras. That's why I take the opinion of someone who uses multiple systems (brendon1000) with more weight than someone who doesn't (most trolls). I will say that I find the custom buttons, my menu and user defined function menu to make the actual menus moot - once setup I don't need to go to the menus.

Judging from the complaints I've seen on the Sony forum, from users, a pattern of questionable QC is developing for this particular body. And there are numerous... with new complaints about stuck shutters, multiple body returns, eye focus not working, stripes, color issues, pixel blinking and on and on.

I'd much rather buy the A7R lll or A9, not the A7 lll. Too many QC complaints. Unlike these two other bodies, the A7 lll is made in China which may be a contributing factor.

@Magnar. You invested in Sony. Now you can't stand when someone points out deficiencies. Don't worry, that's normal, anyone who is invested into a lens mount like to be reassured that he made the right decision, and hate to be proven wrong. That's basic buyer's psychology that every marketer knows very well. On the other hand, it is commonly acknowledged that Sony mirrorless cameras have good sensors, small size, as well as poor ergonomics, poor menu system and flimsy construction quality.

Lol just owning something doesn't mean squat ! My friend bought a 6D Mk II some time back and he hated it and would never recommend it to anyone who asked him. I use the Sony A7 III and find it much better than any of my previous cameras.

The main people having a problem are armchair trolls like you who have never ever used the camera for any real period of time :P

I have had 3 Sony A7 series cameras and I can tell you ergonomics were great, menu system wasn't the best of course but once I fully customized the camera it was never a problem and construction while not the best is still very good. None of my cameras are worse for wear after 100000+ shutter actuations. My 5d mk II has all the rubber parts fallen off after 95k shutters but that is considered a rugged body.

@ pentaust: I can live very well with Sony cameras and lenses, since they do what I want them to do. I have used other brands, and even had to jump ship because of repeated malfunctions and breakdowns with a brand that is judged as top professional. When you earn your money from photography, malfunction and repairs are much more expensive than just paying for repairs and replacements.

I am pragmatic when it comes to camera gear: There is no perfect camera or camera system. You can whine, you can bash a brand (like you do, over and over again), you can praise your brand (like you do), or you can hope for the best - nothing will change the fact that the camera is exactly as it is! If it does the job, well, fine! No need to go elsewhere.

Ken Rockwell's review stated, that once the Sony A7iii is set up properly you don't need to access the menus anymore unless you need to tweak something. It's basically a (yes expensive) "point and shoot" camera once set up to ones liking. But I guess that can be said of any camera.

I for now shoot a D7200. I had to buy a secondary book on the 7200 to help get it setup properly. Nikons "manual" or whatever that worthless book was they include with the camera was a waste of money and a waste of time on my part. (arrow pointing to a button on top of the camera, with a page number and saying "button" is one example!) And yet I still go into the menus to change things.

Was on the fence last year to go Nikon FX with the D750. Glad I didn't. The 3rd recall on the 750 was issued right around the same time I was looking at upgrading. And I would have had that camera at the time I was going to Joshua Tree NP. Would the camera I bought had any issues? No idea, and I didn't want to take that chance. Sony A7iii is in the works. And read or watch any review and I have yet to see a negative review on the A7iii.

@AZheaven. As you know I prefer my Sony cameras. But I also have a Nikon D750, and despite being one of the cameras recalled, mine has never had any of the problems for which the recalls were issued. Nikon goes overboard on the recalls now, due to the bad publicity they had from the relatively wide spread black spot issue on the D600. Then, the trolls excoriated Nikon. Now the trolls complain because they recall. Go figure.

At the time, I had a D3300. I was looking to upgrade my body. I was interested in the D750 and the 7500. I was heading to a local camera store, well, 2 hours away, to get my hands on a 7200 since the 7500 wasn't out yet and compare the size of both cameras and figure out my options. I called Nikon USA and asked a rep when they were releasing the 7500. They had no idea. The local camera store had no 7200's in stock and they also didn't know about the 7500. Stayed home, ordered a 7200 from B & H and the next day the 7500 was announced. The week prior to all this I was looking at the 750. And that's when the 3rd recall came in. I just wish camera companies were not so secretive!! Now Nikon is doing the same with their mirrorless option.

AZheaven, why waiting? Do you really think Nikon would offer anything similar to Sony A7 III/A7R III feature and price-wise? I highly doubt it. Sony now has glass while Nikon doesn't. Some rumors say Nikon's mirrorless is postponed to 2019. By then A7 IV/A7R IV will be on the horizon and would make Nikon obsolete. I really enjoy my A7 III and have a great faith in Sony now. After D7100 this camera is something from the future. And the most important is that I enjoy it immensely. I couldn't say that about my Nikon which was a nightmare with its front- and back-focusing issues. Oh, and I am among the few who has no problems with Sony's menus. It is like an Android smartphone - you take some time to customize it and then just enjoy the experience.

I'm only waiting until the holidays to see if there is a sale of some sorts. I'm not waiting for Nikon!! I'm making the switch. LOL I don't have much confidence in what Nikon is going to offer. And I think Canon will be beating them to the punch anyway since rumor has it that they are currently field testing a full frame mirrorless camera. Don't hear that at all in the Nikon forums. The people complaining about the menu system, even in the Sony? I'm guessing they never heard of or used or tried to set up a VCR!!

I'm on the same page. Looking at switching to the A7iii. Cost and performance of this camera are the major factors. Yes, the A7Riii has a higher mp count but 24mp on a full frame camera should be more than enough for landscapes. And I think Canon has learned from Nikon's mistakes. It's quite possible that Canon will announce a full frame mirrorless camera before Photokina in Sept. to "out flank" Nikon.

The reviews show the camera body only. Get 3 fast lenses to use together with the Sony A7III, and still have to carry an heavy camera bag. Reviewing the camera only does the trick to draw people into the purchase. Once they buy the lenses, they forget that they bought the camera for the small size (LoL...). As a buyer, that's called "fooling ourselves".

After I replaced my DSLR kit with FF mirrorless, I use a camera bag that is about half the sise and much lighter than earlier, without sacrificing creative opportunities. My professional travel kit (camera and lenses) now weight less than 2 kilos. The result is that I am carrying my camera with me more often, which leads to more and better pictures.

All reviews I've seen, the reviewers are using the Sony 24-105 G, Sony 16-35 GM, Sony 85 GM and the Sony 100-400.

My thought was to go mirrorless and have one lens for my needs (landscapes in AZ) the 24-105. I don't need wider, so I can for now eliminate the 16-35. I don't do portraits so the 85mm is eliminated. And if I keep my D7200 and Tamron 100-400 I'm covered for wildlife. Me getting rid of my 3 lenses I use for landscapes, plus the D7200 will save me 3 lbs. And then I don't have to change lenses multiple times in the field either. Which I had to do a couple of weeks ago and almost dropped my kit onto rocks!!

@magnar, you are saying that using a sony Ax save 300gr over 2.300Kg and from 2.300Kg to 2.0Kg all of a sudden makes the system portable. That's a good joke. Let me laugh and thank for the joke, I like it.

Let me add that I bought a bigger bag to carry all my Nikon DX equipment with me. LOL...yeah...that didn't work out so well!! There was no way I was going to carry all that weight hiking!! It's heavy enough with just the D7200, and both my Sigma lenses!! So I returned the bigger bag (didn't cut the tags, or undo the straps or rearranged the insides, just placed all my things on top and lifted it up) and now rethinking my options.

@AZheaven I bought myself a PeakDesign everyday backpack (20L) last Christmas and I'm using it everyday. I put the A7III with 16-35 F4 ZA and my lunch box in the bag, also put an extra lens if I plan to shot something else. The smaller camera body makes it perfect all around photography tool. I now shoot more photos than before.

@ pentaust: D7200 is an aps-c camera! You have to compare cameras with the same sensor size. An the D7200 is bulky. Try make it compact! For travel, volume can be more important than weight.

Also, this Nikon camera has a mirror that causes vibrations, lenses that need to be calibrated for perfect focus, no true depth of focus control, like all those mirror/matte ground glass viewfinders, etc. etc. etc.

@magnar. I was not replying to you. AZheaven is concerned by weight and he is concerned by the weight of his D7200 and lenses. My point is, if a D7200 is already too heavy, a Sony A7iii won't be lighter (only by 24gr) but the full frame lenses of a Sony A7iii will be even heavier. Please Magnar, stop turning words around for the sake of promoting Sony products. The goal is to be honest with situations so that customers select what is good for them.

Now, if you talk about vibrations, mirrorless cameras aren't lacking because shutter has to close first in order to be able to open and close again. For DSLR the shutter is already closed before taking the shot, so there is no additional shutter shock involved like it was the case for the Sony A7. Please stop telling things that are not true. Thanks a lot.

pentaust: Well, try Sony cameras with first electronic shutter activated (default, and what we use most of the time), and then check sharpness. No vibrations. Ultra-sharp! Much sharper than pictures from DSLR cameras.

I use long telephoto lenses quite often, and for wildlife, mirror lock up is never a solution. I also use a telescope, and for moon and planetary photography you get much better results when taking pictures at those glipms with less turbulence. Mirror vibrations would ruin the results, and with an OVF you don't have magnified view to check turbulence.

Try doing eye auto-focus with positive feedback in the EVF with a DSLR...Also, the focusing screens in many DSLRs do not give a true indicator of depth of field when lens is stopped down I believe because they are optimized for brightness.

Put big lenses on mirrorless, you get a big camera. But if you put small lenses on mirrorless, you get a small camera. The A7III (650g) with Rokinon/Samyang 35/2.8 FE (108g) is smaller and lighter (758g) than a 6D MKII body alone (765g)! And that's with image stabilization, too!

But even without any size or weight difference, you have to consider the higher specs and performance that mirrorless offers over DSLRs. What DSLR gives you 693 AF points covering 93% of a FF viewfinder, face/eye AF, 5-axis IBIS, 10fps, totally silent electronic shutter, etc, for only $2K?

Plus, you're comparing an APS-C camera to a FF camera! Plus, consider visual size. DSLRs such as D7200 look-- and are-- big. They stick out like a sore thumb. A compact body like A7III is much less obvious, especially when using compact lenses.

So take an A7III and strap five AA batteries to it. I don't like carrying more weight than I need to. It's just dead, unnecessary weight. Sure, if I want to add more weight, I may add weight (like adding a battery grip). But I also like the option of taking off that weight (and size) was well. You can't do that with a D7200 that already weighs more and is larger. You're basically stuck with it. And the D7200 isn't even a FF body!

I too am a Nikon user. But thinking of switching to the A7iii. Curious. Is your camera a full frame or are you a DX shooter? With my age creeping up (and some health issues!) my thoughts are to get one camera, one lens to do landscapes with. I have 3 lenses and the 7200 now for that purpose. And no, I'm not looking at Nikon FX due to the size increase in the camera body.

I had a friend that was selling her D800. I passed due to the size. And the fact that it had "issues"?? D500 a nice camera. Looked at one before deciding on the 7200. The D500 is a huge camera! Thanks for commenting!

@AZ Heaven. Your D7200 is a remarkable camera. If your primary work is landscapes, I wonder if you should be considering the A7rII at roughly the same money as the A7III. For landscapes, the extra megapixels do make a difference, and the key components us old guys need, IBIS, and BSI sensor, are there, and work well. I have been shooting one for three years, and love it. The A7III will be a little quicker, better for fast action shots, and better in low light, but the A7rII is quite good in these categories as well. But I would not quickly dispose of my D7200 if I had one. It's a great camera.

Yeah, if landscapes were my game, I'd get an a7riii (if I were looking to switch to Sony). These Sony cameras are neat, but I have a D500 and D850, so it would take a HECK of a lot for me to ever consider switching brands.

@Average User. A friend shoots with an A7Rii and loves it. One of the reasons I was going for the A7iii was price and performance value. And that it's a full frame camera. And many a photographer I've talked to says 24mp is plenty. But I see your point. The other thing that kept me from the Sony's a year ago was battery life which the newer cameras seemed to have fixed.

I'm most likely going to keep the D7200 and the Tamron 100-400 I have. Lots of wildlife in AZ!! Plus it will keep the cost down going all out Sony. Darrell Young's book Mastering the D7200 is amazing. Anyone with a Nikon camera should burn their so called "manuals" in favor of Darrell's books.

@xPhoenix, yeah, it's a consideration, but that $1,200 cost is too much. The lotto is NOT cooperating in any way!!

The reviews show the camera body only. Get 3 fast lenses to use together with the Sony A7III, and still have to carry an heavy camera bag. Reviewing the camera only does the trick to draw people into the purchase. Once they buy the lenses, they forget that they bought the camera for the small size (LoL...)

Whats the problem pentaust? There are now tons of the small fast lenses which are designed for mirrorless, like for instance Voigtländer 40/1.2 at 400g, Tamron 28-75 2.8 at 550g, Sony 85/1.8 or Batis / Loxia / Laowa / Voigtländer at wide and ultra wide.

It seems that in these comments fields a lot of people don't realize that there is a world out there where you don't need to use big heavy DSLR design zooms and primes.

Me neither. The cost of switching systems would be tremendous especially given how much more limited the native lens range for Sony is when it comes to lenses that are reasonably priced. I would want much better third party native lens support and more reasonably priced but still high quality lenses (for instance something like the 18-35G) lenses than you see in the Sony lineup. The lack of a reasonably priced super telephoto native to the mount is also an issue.

@mSullivan, My issue is I have all 3rd party glass for my Nikon. And I really don't have much faith in Nikon doing the right thing. But maybe I'll be proven wrong. Canon always seems to be surprising folks, except for the new 6D of course.

I just posted in my "gallery" with DPR a pixel shift image taken with my new A7rIII and Sony Zeiss 55mm F1.8. Pixel shift did enrich and even out the colors. The pix is a picture of a painting of the Li Jiang river in China. The pixel shift software also seems to have eliminated vignetting from the image.

What is it with the opinions that the video record button is now in a better place? That's total nonsense. I never once accidentally triggered video record with the side located button. Now with it next to the view finder I am forever pressing it instead of the AF ON button which I have setup for back button focus. I've actually had to disable the dammed thing in stills mode so have lost the ability to quickly capture a video while taking stills. Not all changes are for the better.

Paul is one of the longest time members of the DPR commenter's group. I see your point Paul. They've been moving this button around for a few years. In my experience the location on the II generation always made me move the camera when I hit the button. But the generation before that I took a lot of unintended short clips. Maybe this one will work better at least for me.

But I haven't been about for a while. I finally got round to upgrading the Minolta 7D last year so actually have something current to talk about now :-)

My comment was a bit tongue in cheek. The position of the record button and the ability to hit it by accident was probably the most recurrent "complaint" in reviews and forum comments of the 7 series for the last goodness knows how many years. Reviewers work hard to find things to complain about and it's often contrived problems that gain the most traction. I thought I would see if we can keep the momentum going and still complain about the record button.

Did y'all miss me? My A7rIII arrived so I had to take a day shooting. Wonderful. Still learning it. There are a couple of points I would like to address: First the crazy balance argument. So the deal is, if your lens is big, your camera has to be big too because otherwise they won't balance. No moving your left hand to find the balance point with the smaller ligher camera. That's cheating!!! Not sure but doesn't that imply the whole rig has to be heavier? Now then there's menus. Sony menus are not organized like my Nikon menus and I am incapable of changing. For example. Everyone knows the major menu categories are supposed to be in a vertical list on the left. But Sony has a horizontal list on the top. So a Nikon or Canon guy has to turn the camera sideways so the list is vertical. Then the words are hard to read because they are not sideways. You can see Sony has totally screwed this up.

I don't want you all worrying about me too much. I have been working with my therapist to get used to the horizontal menus. But some items which might be just as logically grouped as Sony does instead of the way Nikon does...traumatic! Well just to comment...the A7rIII...feels imperceptibly bigger than the A7rII but quicker, snappier performance for just about everything. And high ISO images definitely better. Worth the upgrade? Yes, if you have the money, but if the bucks are tight, the A7rII or A7III will be just fine.

Funny thing is that when someone calls "troll" they get the most likes. The relevant posts completely drowns in that sh!t. Well, so thanks all. Nice way to discuss a camera. I have learned absolutely nothing about the A73 from reading the 2000+ comments. A positive comment - lots of likes. A critical comment - troll

a7III is a good camera, new and easy available, also I found that SONY is building amasing products but cannot somehow inspire credibility to "average" user who will buy a camera for years to come and not three times per year, just only for the only PROs(?) able to keep up with new models deployments(!), to keep updated (and not necessarely upgraded).

NX1 is looking very strong versus a7III, and while I do not like Samsung giving up so easy its "consumer camera business' public developpement", I sonsider it a very well and good build camera for an amateur-prosumer photo lover as me.Actually, these "amateurs" should be much more than the PROs (well, as people numbers, not as dollars spend !).And Samsung in his wisdom gave us a lesson, going further, concentrating its business on mobile-cameras for even larger masses of users.

OSV say: "huge tech advances that sony has made, since the crop-sensor nx1 was released".In my oppinion, these HUGE advances were for SONY to catch-up with Samsung. It took only 3½ years, but final specs are very close for the NEW a7III versus OLD NX1.3½ years where everybody who has/had NX1 already enjoyed the performance.This is not only in my brain.

Hey OSV, let me know when you can show me and everyone else at DPReview the 0.6 EV more HDR a7III has over NX1, or when recording a pfoto or video at 204800 ASA how better the picture is. Forensic analyse could enjoy this, other PROs or just consumers will just ignore these "huge tech advances that sony has made".

I do not contest that a7III is a bit better than the 3½ y. old NX1, but is much-much later.Still a7III does not surpass all specs of NX1: 10fps vs 15 fps, SAVC S vs H265, video 30p cropped vs UN-cropped.This is not about a poor camera, is about being so late and even so does offer just a bit of extra specs.

But A7III is still less performant. . . if you have read about NX2 last year, you will know that a7III is behind the top technology. Unfortunately, Samsung do not want to offer this technology to photo-cinema comunity, it is just playing with it to be sure is one of the best and not the last.

@Gim_6x. Heard you call my name so thought I would respond. Agree with you the Samsung Nx1 was a remarkable achievement for its time and is still a great camera. Should you change it in for a Sony FF A7III? Not necessarily. But knowing it is dead, would you recommend to a third party who doesn't have a camera, to buy the NX1 today? Probably not, for a bunch of practical reasons like continued support etc.

I bought NX1 last year, you say already "DEAD", and you know something, it is working fine, I would say it is very ALIVE for me.

I have the kit (NX1+powergrip+16-50S), I will add 50-150S, I have many FF lenses and I will use them manually, I am not a reporter to need auto-focus and tracking subject all time (aka new lenses), contrary, I made usually paysages in trips with tripod. And with photo-stack (the hack) I can extend the DoF from 0.5m (and less) to infinit.

Are you interested to buy some NX1 with whatever NX lens or accessory not yet BORN, they are still NEW available in South Korea bit under initial price (who was not expensive!!! and still competitive with 3 years later new technologies and prices), and last year there were thousand of each (I was searching for 50-150S).

Samsung is doind repairs, warranty or not.I think for you DEAD is only the policy from Samsung to stop NX line development.

GiM_6x: Why would people go for a small sensor NX1 from a brand that officially is out of camera business when they can get a full frame A7III, which is in may respects way better, like low light sensitivity, autofocus, etc.?

Fine that you like your camera, but I would be very, very careful to tell people to buy into this brand if they want to build a camera system.

Magnar W said: "Why would people go for a small sensor", I presume cheaper but still performant, that is why Samsung concentrate on mobipe-phone-cameras.

While an FF vs APS-C should influence specifications, low light and noise, in this case of extreme 204800 ASA, just forensic pros will might be interested, but not quite since there are other cameras with millions ASA sensible sensors.

About autofocus, the same, will be better at low light only.Some links in this thread and similar others on DPReview point to much more hunting of a7III than of NX1 in good light, so oppinions differs.

All the rest is just specifications vs specifications, and from consumer point of view for almost the same specifications you pay less, for the camera and for the smaller lenses.

If you are a PRO, which myself I do not consider after over 50 years of "amateur" photography lover and exercice (doing medium format 6x6 in 1962), I have to apologise since you have other interest evaluating a such camera.

While I still find on web to buy new + second hand Samsung NX1 plus all the lenses, while Samsung is still doing the repairs if necessary, I cosider a HUGE advantage to have an already "older" product who was able to access almost all hardware specs, due to elongated time for BIOS fixes, enhancement, hacks...

I still have in mind some SONY "in News" features as "star eater" or the "line stripping" in RAWs (!), and a very bad personal experience with SONY not able to detect a BIOS "weakness" processing sensor signal...

IMO the NX1 is a good example of "the best product isn't always the most successful". This camera was clearly ahead of its time and was one of the best available when it was introduced. Sadly Samsung decided to exit the market. Even through I didn't own one and wasn't planning on getting one, I greatly appreciated that Samsung was pushing the envelope. This role seems to have fallen to Sony and the marketplace is better for Sony being there and worse for Samsung not being there. I wonder what the state of the art would be if Samsung was still a player.

Sony does push the market forwards primarily with their sensor tech; it is cutting edge. Their sensor division turns out superb products for Sony cameras and for other brands, as well as for smartphones.

With regards to the rest of Sony camera tech, is it really that great? They were not the first to use IBIS; Olympus had it well before them. They've made advancements with their AF but so has every one else in the same time frame.

Their EVF and back LCD tech is nothing to brag about; others do it better. They are lagging in screen touch controls. I do give them credit for the blackout-less EVF and silent shooting on the A9. And many praise their eye-AF.

Note that I am commenting on stills photography. On the video front I do believe Sony has more to offer, as that is where they have much more expertise and history.

Sony is a player in the market and they've done some good things. But people overrate their supposed innovation and impact (with the exception of their sensors).

Unfortunately for SONY I am objective but also subjective, and since I already have other camera, I will compare the both by specs only (I do not afford to buy ather camera at this performance level, actually I do not need to do) and I found only "some" inprovements, but most important, Sony it is three (3) years later.Cosidering availability of my camera three years ago, I should ignore anything comming now with almost same specs.

I found strange that most review channels take in consideration only "fresh" products, ignoring performant products availabe as NEW and as SECOND-HAND, as in my "case". Are they driven by PROGRESS, well - maybe only by BUSINESS (same FF rivals), not by progress or performance.

I actually considered an NX1 (used at one point) because of its video capabilities. That said, the a7III completely surpasses the NX1 as both a stills camera and video camera. Check out the DPR studio scene at 6400 or higher. The SONY is clearly better for low light work. At 24 fps the video capture is 6K internally downsized to 4K. Just as 4K downsized to 1080 delivers superior video quality than native 1080, the downsized 6K to 4K out of the SONY is spectacular. The video codecs available in the SONY offer better color grading capability. If one wants to shoot for HDR video display, the SONY offers HLG capability. And it's already been established that video focus tracking is about as good as it gets, making it far superior for shooting sports/action events. I can appreciate your love of NX1 but it is now old news.

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